Failure to Notify Family and Authorities During Resident Discharge
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its own policies regarding notification and documentation during the discharge process for one resident who left the facility on a community pass and did not return. The administrator confirmed that the resident had a history of not returning from passes and that, in this instance, the family members listed on the face sheet were not contacted when the resident failed to return. The administrator also stated that the resident's current location or status was unknown at the time of the interview. The Director of Nursing indicated that only the physician is notified when a resident responsible for themselves leaves against medical advice, and was unaware that the family was involved in the resident's care, despite documentation in the social service notes indicating family involvement. The family later confirmed they were not informed by the facility about the resident's departure and only learned of the situation through other means. Additionally, law enforcement reported difficulty in obtaining cooperation and communication from the facility when the resident was reported missing, with multiple attempts to contact the facility going unanswered. The facility's policies require notification of the physician and administrator in cases of discharge against medical advice, and suggest involving the responsible party, such as family, if available. However, there was no documentation that the family or the State Ombudsman were notified, and the facility was unable to provide evidence of such notifications or a physical copy of the police report. The lack of required documentation and notification to proper parties constituted a failure to meet regulatory requirements for discharge procedures.